A/N: Another filler chapter to get us though the evening at the Hummel household and to give some more info on everybody's favorite Puckasaurus. Sorry it's been so long, the Farm Show and the weekend after were hectic as all hell. Thank you so much to those of you sticking with me and reviewing! It makes rays of sun shine out of Darren Criss' hair. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

I do not own Glee

Ch. 12

Blaine held Kurt in his arms until the boy shifted around to get comfortable and fell asleep with his head on Blaine's stomach. He gazed down at Kurt and couldn't help but feel something for him. Kurt was so strong and beautiful. He really was an amazing person. What Kurt needed right now was a friend. He didn't need a relationship to make things more complicated. Unless Kurt initiated a romantic relationship he would be nothing more than a supportive friend.

Kurt's phone vibrated on the side table again, but the boy didn't stir. Quinn had been calling and leaving messages since Kurt had fallen asleep. The phone buzzed once indicating another message and immediately started vibrating again. Blaine sighed and eased himself out from under Kurt, careful not to disturb him. He needed his rest. He padded out into the hall and answered the phone.

"Hello"

"Who's this? Where's Kurt?" Quinn's frantic voice filled his ear.

"Quinn, it's okay. It's Blaine. Kurt's asleep. He's fine."

"What the hell are you doing there, hobbit?" Quinn asked strictly.

"He texted me to come work on our English project. His dad found out about his side and made him stay in bed all day, so when you and Puck couldn't do anything I came over. After we finished we talked a little bit and he fell asleep."

"How is he?" Quinn asked cautiously.

"He's doing okay. He was really tired. He um, he talked about his mom some."

He heard Quinn release a sigh. "It's that time of year again."

Blaine nodded but realized the girl couldn't see him.

"I'm glad you were there with him. He needs someone like you. Thanks, hobbit."

Blaine smiled despite the nickname. "Not a problem, Quinn. If you ever need my help with anything just let me know."

"Like that will ever happen." Quinn snorted. "Just tell Kurt to text me when he wakes up. See ya around, Anderson."

She hung up before he could reply and Blaine looked down at the phone in confusion. It was amazing how Quinn, Puck, and Kurt could go from being the most caring, sensitive people to closed off and cold in a matter of seconds. He understood that it was a defense mechanism that helped keep people at a distance but he knew that he would never be able to just turn off feelings, especially his feeling for Kurt.

Blaine sighed and steeled himself, giving his whole body a slight shake before returning to Kurt's room. He found the boy stretching and shifting himself to a sitting position again.

"Morning, sleepy head," Blaine joked, plastering a grin on his face. It killed him to see his friend in pain.

"How long was I out for?" Kurt got out through a yawn.

"Long enough for Quinn to get out of her church thing and call you thirteen times," Blaine said, tossing the phone onto Kurt's lap. "You're supposed to text her. I answered because I was afraid it would wake you up."

Kurt glanced at the clock. "No, it's good that I'm up. I have to start dinner."

Blaine just looked at him, cocking a triangular eyebrow.

"Every Saturday since Dad moved to Columbus I've made a big roast beef dinner like the kind real families have after church on a Sunday. Mom used to do it Sunday evenings and I didn't want to lose that. Usually I put it in the slow cooker before we go to the garage but I didn't this morning so I have to get it in the oven."

"Kurt, I really don't think that your dad would mind if you guys didn't have a roast beef dinner this week. You should really be taking it easy."

"I don't know how to take it easy!" Kurt cried. "All of this lying in bed is causing more mental damage than it is helping me! I just need to do something, and I don't think moving around a kitchen is that detrimental!"

Blaine chuckled at Kurt's frustration and held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, but at least let me wrap your ribs back up before you go down."

Kurt slumped back against the headboard in submission. "No ice, though" he muttered. "I'm freezing my ass off."

Blaine laughed at his friend again as he moved to wrap the ace bandage securely around his ribs and chest. He had a hard time not making eye contact with Kurt and forced himself not to let his fingers ghost over the beautifully soft skin of Kurt's chest any longer then needed. He clipped the bandage into place and stepped back to find a hint of red gracing Kurt's cheeks as they moved over slightly labored breaths. Blaine smiled sheepishly and turned his head away quickly.

"Come on, Anderson," Kurt said, breaking the ice that seemed to have formed between them momentarily. "Let's do some cooking. If you're staying for dinner, you have to earn your keep," he said with a wink.

Kurt cursed himself for blushing. Why did Blaine's fingers have to feel so perfect on his skin? No, stop that Kurt, he thought. There is no way you are getting involved with a boy as perfect as Blaine and dragging him down with you.

!

Kurt stood at the kitchen counter, sick of sitting all day, as Blaine insisted on lifting anything heavier than a container of spices. He hauled the roast beef out of the fridge and into a baking pan for his injured friend. Kurt got to work coating the meat in spices before handing it back to Blaine to put in the oven.

Soon Kurt was back to his flirty self and he and Blaine were moving around the kitchen joking around and listening to music while the roast cooked in the oven. Blaine's phone buzzed with a text from Rachel.

Dad called. He said he was sorry again. Where are you? Will you be home for dinner?

"I am so sick of Rachel it's not even funny," Blaine groaned.

"Welcome to the rest of McKinley High," Kurt retorted sarcastically. "What'd she do this time?"

Blaine shoved the phone under Kurt's nose.

"She's just so controlling and in my business all the time, just 'cause she's two freaking minutes older than me. She knows how my dad feels about me but she still thinks the sun shines out his ass."

Kurt snorted back his laugh, and turned serious.

"What about your mom? How does she deal with your dad?"

"I don't know. She doesn't put up with it. She's always yelling at him that I'm the same person that I always was. They fight about it all the time, they just don't know that I can hear them. I mean it's not like he doesn't love me, he's just been a homophobe all his life and he doesn't know how to handle me being gay."

"Blaine, you being gay isn't something that your dad should have to 'handle.' He should just love you for you, like the rest of us do."

Blaine ignored the last comment and continued talking about his parents. "To be honest I think that with all of the fighting and him making comments to me if it wasn't for Rachel I think they'd be divorced and I'd be living with my mom right now. Sometimes I don't know how they stand each other or how he stands me.

"It's so hard to be in the same room with him without it being awkward. Either we're not talking, or he's making pointed comments about girls, or calling someone a fag around me."

Kurt's eyes widened. "What?" he questioned sharply, not wanting to believe what Blaine had just said.

Blaine bit his lip and nodded.

"That's ridiculous, Blaine." Kurt reached out and put his hand on his friends and squeezed. "If you ever need a place to get away from it our door is always open."

Blaine nodded again.

"Anytime okay?" Kurt pressed, wanting to make sure that Blaine understood.

"Okay," he said quietly. He glanced down at their still connected hands.

Kurt sensed the awkwardness building in Blaine's eyes. "Want to help me peel potatoes?" He asked trying to make the boy comfortable without moving his hand.

"Sure" Blaine said, wanting to move away from the subject of his father. He stood, letting his hand fall from Kurt's to retrieve the potatoes from the cupboard he had seen them in earlier.

Once again the boys transitioned into the ease of their friendship as they worked on peeling and boiling the spuds for mashed potatoes.

"This is a lot of food," Blaine commented, standing back to observe the stove full of potatoes, corn, string beans, and a pot of gravy.

"We're cooking for six." Kurt informed him. "Get back to whisking." He ordered, prodding Blaine back towards the stove and the gravy.

"Six?"

"On a Saturday after dinner I always pack Dad a lunch for sometime during the week and take the rest of the leftovers to Puck so he doesn't have to cook for his mom either Saturday night or Sunday afternoon and they get to have a nice meal."

Blaine cocked his head, silently asking Kurt to explain further.

"Pucks mom, Judy, works ten hour second shift days six days a week so she doesn't get off until 11:00 at night. Puck makes her dinner because she's always so exhausted. He's not exactly good at it though and I save him the trouble whenever I can. They also have trouble having nice things to eat so I always send leftovers down there. Besides, his mom works at the potato packaging factory just outside of Lima so she brings us free potatoes all the time. It's a trade of sorts."

Blaine nodded his head slowly in time with his stirring.

"His dad took off when he was really little and it's been just him and his mom ever since. Normally he works at Sheets & Things but during football season he puts all his attention into practice and games. He figures a football scholarship is his best bet of getting out of Lima and giving himself and his mom a better life. That's why I took the brunt of it on Thursday. I wasn't going to let him not be able to play yesterday. He's going to get somewhere and I'll do everything I can to help him."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"What are you going to do after graduation? You're too smart to take over your dad's shop full time and take care of Emma."

Kurt sighed deeply. "Hopefully my grades will be enough to get me a full scholarship to somewhere. I'll go anywhere that's paying. If it's Ohio State I can go to the Lima campus and live at home to be with Em. It's not like she'll need it, though. She'll be a junior. I just don't like the idea of her giving things up the way I had to. I'd love to major in Bio but realistically I'll probably end up doing a nursing program and hopefully one day go to med school."

"Med school, wow."

Kurt snorted. "I don't have any fantasies of it actually happening. I'm going to help my Dad out as much as I can. That's my first priority above everything else. If that means being stuck in Lima then that's what it means. It is what it is."

Sometimes Blaine felt helpless to do anything but nod in conversations like this with Kurt. He could sympathize with Kurt's situation but he had never been in one like it nor did he expect to be in one like it. He knew full well that as long as he kept under the radar with his dad he would pay for his tuition at any school that he wanted to go to. His mom would make sure that he could declare whatever major he wanted even if his dad didn't approve. He knew that Kurt was just talking and wasn't looking for advice or input, but sometimes he felt bad that he couldn't be of more help. This was the way Kurt's life was. He knew there was nothing he could say that could help the boy, so instead he just nodded for what seemed like the millionth time that evening.

Kurt proved himself once again to be the master of conversation diversion, ice breaker, and mood lightener.

"We could work on some Physics after dinner. I know you don't have your stuff but I have my book and the syllabus that you guys are following and I can help you out with anything you know you're having trouble with. If no one's going to let me do anything useful I can at least work ahead."

"Sure," Blaine said, nodding his head with a grin. "Is this gravy done yet?" He asked with a laugh, just realizing that he had been stirring throughout their entire conversation.

Kurt burst out with a short laugh. "Yes, Blaine. I'm sure the gravy is thick enough by now."

!

Kurt was standing at the counter mixing the mashed potatoes, swatting at Blaine next to him trying to scoop out samples with his fingers, when his father and sister came through the door a little after six.

"Kurt Elijah Hummel, just what do you think you're doing?"

Kurt's eyes grew wide and his expression became panicked. Blaine tried not to laugh; he had never seen anyone make the bad boy panic before. Kurt quickly shoved the masher into Blaine's hands and sat down at the kitchen table.

"Sitting here, keeping still like a good kid while I force Blaine to make dinner for us."

Burt snorted. "I'll believe that when my hair grows back."

Blaine let out a laugh that he just couldn't contain. Kurt's father was as sarcastic as his son.

"Nice to meet you Blaine, I'm Burt."

Blaine strode over and shook the man's hand. "It's nice to meet you Mr. Hummel."

This time it was Kurt who could barely hold onto his laughter. It was so different seeing one of his friends shake his father's hand. Burt always hugged Quinn and kissed her cheek, and he and Puck had some sort of fist bump handshake that they did whenever they saw each other. This just seemed so, formal.

Burt laughed softly. "If you're a friend of Kurt's, god love ya, call me Burt. Quinnie is the only one I can't get to stop calling me Mr. Hummel at least once every time she sees me."

Blaine just nodded with a smile stretched across his face.

"Dinner's ready guys," Kurt interrupted. "We can set the table if you want to wash up."

Dinner went well. Blaine could clearly see the love that was running through the small family. Burt doted on Kurt and Emma endlessly. He asked them every question possible about their weeks wanting to be filled in on every detail of their lives that he had missed. Blaine watched as Kurt tried to make everything seem normal for Emma, not even wanting to let her pile seconds onto his plate. He saw a defiant stare settle in Emma's eyes, determined to help her brother even if it was just giving him more mashed potatoes.

He knew that this family loved each other despite the hardships they had faced. What he was really surprised about was how easily the conversation included him instead of flowing around him. He was asked his opinion on cars and football teams. Burt inquired about his classes and after he learned that he shared them all with Kurt teased him saying that he needed to keep Kurt on track. He asked about his family, friends, and Dalton. It was one of the most pleasant dinners Blaine could remember ever having.

After dinner Kurt packed Burt's lunch of leftovers and piled the rest into containers to take to the Puckerman household. Blaien helped Emma clean up as they forced Kurt to sit in a chair and watch.

"I really am fine, guys."

Emma rolled her eyes at Blaine. "We've heard that one before, Kurt. Sit back, shut up, and let someone else do some work for a change. It's not like I've never washed dishes before."

"That's because I'm instilling responsibility into that thick skull of yours," Kurt joked, standing up and tapping the top of his sister's head.

"Oh my God, Kurt, don't you ever sit still?" Blaine asked, as he dried his hands with a dish towel and threw it down in frustration.

"Nope," Kurt said, popping the 'P' with his lips. "Beside's I have to take this to Puck's." He grabbed the stack of containers.

"No you're not!" A booming voice called from the living room.

"What?" Kurt asked, whipping his head around to stare through the entrance to the living room.

"You heard me. You're not driving like that. I'll take it over later."

"I'm fine, Dad," Kurt groaned. "Em and me took the bike to school on Friday." Kurt bit his lip knowing in an instant that he had said the wrong thing.

"Kurt that is so stupid. You put yourself and your sister in danger. What if you wouldn't have been able to steer?"

"I was fine, Dad." Kurt said through gritted teeth. "If I didn't think I was okay to drive I wouldn't have. You know I would never let anything happen to Em."

"I know Kurt but I still don't want you driving until at least Monday when you have to. Even then you can take your car."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Fine. Just make sure it gets there."

Blaine piped up, interrupting the small fight. "I can take you drop it off," he offered, waving his index finger in the air timidly to get Kurt's attention. "I was headed out anyway and it's really not that far away is it?"

"It's a little bit over five minutes to drive, but not over ten." Kurt confirmed.

Blaine shrugged. "I'll take you."

Kurt smiled softly. "Thank you, Blaine."

"Thanks, son!" Burt called from the couch. "You just saved me a trip." He heaved himself off of the couch and walked towards the boys. "So we'll see you Friday night at the game?" Burt questioned, clapping Blaine on the back. Blaine's heart secretly soared. His own father never bothered to call him any terms of endearment, let alone son. He would also never voluntarily sit through an entire football game with his gay son.

"Yes sir." Blaine confirmed.

"I told you son, it's Burt."

"Sorry, Burt. It was very nice meeting you."

Blaine held out his hand again only to have Burt raise an eyebrow at him. Now he knew where Kurt got it from. Burt curled his hand into a fist and held it out for Blaine.

"Enough with the handshakes, this'll do just fine." Burt said, touching his knuckles against Blaine's. "Maybe one day, me and Puck will teach you the rest of it."

Blaine smiled widely. "Thanks Burt. I'll see you Friday. Bye Emma!" He called out as Kurt stacked containers in his arms and walked out the door behind him. He placed everything safe in the back seat and got behind the wheel to find Kurt smiling at him from the passenger's seat.

"He likes you." Kurt said.

Blaine smiled nervously. "How can you tell?"

"You got a nickname." Kurt said simply.

"A nickname?"

"Son. I'm kid, Em's kiddo, Quinn's Quinnie, and Puck's sport. You're son."

Blaine's nervous smile grew wider. "I really like your dad."

Kurt chuckled. "Everyone does. He's like magnet for people without dads." Kurt stopped quickly. "I'm sorry, Blaine. I didn't mean to say that you didn't have a father, it's just Puck and Quinn their dad's are gone and your dad…" he trailed off not knowing what to say.

Blaine reached across the consol and gripped Kurt's knee. "It's fine Kurt." He assured him. "I think you need to amend your statement. Your dad is a magnet for people with daddy issues. Lord knows I've got them." He said turning the conversation into a joke.

"It's cause your dad is like the perfect father," he continued. "You're really lucky to have him."

"I know," Kurt said softly.

Blaine's hand squeezed Kurt's knee again.

"Left up here," Kurt instructed, giving directions until they pulled up to Puck's house.

Blaine gazed cautiously at the trailer that had been converted to a house with the addition of a foundation and an addition in the back.

Kurt's eyes grew steely and cold as he watched Blaine's reaction.

"Not too comfortable in the wrong side of town, Anderson?" He asked, successfully resisting the urge to call the shocked boy 'rich boy.'

Blaine swallowed his alarm. "Nope, I'm fine."

"Good." Kurt said, opening the car door.

Blaine followed suit and took the containers of food out of the backseat. Kurt pounded on the door until Puck emerged in a wife beater and sweatpants.

"I see the hobbit is making deliveries throughout the shire," Puck commented, glaring at Blaine.

"Chill, Noah," Kurt said. "Dad wouldn't let me drive so Blaine brought me."

Puck just shrugged. "I heard Pop's wasn't too happy with our actions Thursday evening," he said as he took everything from Blaine's arms. They followed him into the kitchen as he piled everything into the fridge. "He called to make sure I was okay and ask me to come help out tomorrow. Said he wasn't sure how much he wanted you to do."

"I told him I was fine."

"Obviously he didn't believe you." Puck snorted crossing his arms. "Anyway thanks for the roast beast, I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," Kurt groaned.

Blaine just laughed as the two boys walked out of the door.

"You really hate taking it easy don't you?" Blaine asked, once in the car.

"I just don't like not being able to pull my weight."

"Honey, I think you pull more than your fair share of weight."

Kurt shrugged but didn't say anything. They were silent the rest of the way to Kurt's, comfortably listening to the radio.

Blaine pulled up to the house and got out to walk Kurt to the door.

"I'll see you Monday," Kurt said, standing in front of the door, not really wanting to go in and leave the boy who was becoming his best friend and more.

"Monday it is then. Have fun with Puck at the garage tomorrow, and please please please try to take it easy," Blaine pleaded.

"I'll do my best, but I'm not making any promises," Kurt said with a wink. "I'm sorry we never got to that Physic's homework."

"Don't worry about it," Blaine said, waving his hand in dismissal. "I have all day tomorrow to work on it now that I can take a break from English until you have a final copy we can base a speech off of."

Blaine stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his friend. Both pulled back slightly at the same time to kiss the other's forehead. They stopped just before their lips touched in the middle of the actions.

Blaine smiled, their lips not moving away from their closeness. "I was going to kiss your forehead."

Kurt bit his lip and nodded slightly. "Me too."

Blaine sighed. "I guess it's hard to tell who's taking care of who anymore."

Kurt nodded again. "I don't mind taking care of you, Blaine," he whispered, so close that Blaine could feel his breath on his lips.

"I don't mind taking care of you, Kurt," he whispered back.

Kurt stopped himself from claiming Blaine's lips and instead buried his head in the boy's neck, tightening his arms again in a hug. He felt Blaine's arms constrict around him too, and he sighed.

He pulled away and stepped back. "See ya, Anderson." He kissed Blaine's forehead.

"Later, Hummel." Blaine stepped forward and kissed Kurt's forehead before retreating down the porch steps to his car.